Article Sidebar

Share this Story: Daphne Bramham: Honouring mothers the best way we can

Trending

Article content

There was Mother’s Day long before Hallmark had a card for it. And for millennia before that, honouring mothers and motherhood was done in almost every society and every religious tradition.

Motherhood has never been easy. But becoming a mother isn’t just hard, it’s dangerous. Even now, after a 44-per-cent drop in the maternal mortality rate between 1990 and 2015, too many women die because of problems during pregnancy, during delivery, or as a result of childbirth.

Daphne Bramham: Honouring mothers the best way we canBack to video

Because of their life-giving potential, women have often been venerated as goddesses. Clay figures of heavy-breasted women found at the Turkish site of Catalhoyuk are the earliest-known depictions that date back to 7000 BC and the Neolithic era.

From what archeologists have been able to determine, it was a community that at its height was home to as many as 10,000. It was a society with no distinctions between social classes and genders. But were these female figures representations of fertility goddesses or of loved ones? We may never know.

Advertisement

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content continued

Later, there was Gaia and Mother Earth. There are also fierce multi-taskers like Durga, who is frequently depicted carrying weapons or garlanded with skulls. She is believed to not only create life but also end the lives of those who threaten peace, harmony and prosperity.

Christianity’s trinity doesn’t include a woman. But it has the Virgin Mary, the mother of God, whose prominence has waxed and waned over time and varies from denomination to denomination.

Mothering Sunday has been marked by both the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches since the 16th century. However, its original emphasis was more on Mother Church than Mom. The fourth Sunday in Lent is the day that the faithful are to return to the church where they were baptized.

Advertisement

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content continued

As the years went by, it became one of the few days that people in domestic service — mainly young women — had a day off. In the grand estates, the cooks and housekeepers baked light fruit cakes — simnel cakes — for their co-workers to take as gifts to their mothers.

In 1908, American Anna Jarvis honoured her own mother with a memorial service on the second Sunday of May, and then set about having that day (Mother’s Day) designated as a national holiday.

She succeeded in 1911, and today it is celebrated in 43 countries, including Canada.

With Jarvis’ success, British women revitalized Mothering Sunday and the festival spread beyond the church.

Advertisement

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content continued

In more secular countries, March 8 is the day for honouring mothers. It is also known as International Women’s Day.

Honouring mothers has proved to be wildly popular. In the United States, it is second only to Christmas for retail spending. By the end of this weekend, Americans are expected to have spent more than ever on Mom — an estimated $23.6 billion US, or $186 each. Canadians are expected to spend an average of $76 on gifts and $184 on experiences like brunches and spas.

The commercialization of Mother’s Day went against everything that Jarvis had intended. In the 1920s, she was actively campaigning against it.

Advertisement

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content continued

“A printed card means nothing,” she said, “except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world.”

Jarvis organized boycotts of greeting cards, protests at candy makers. She even got arrested for trying to disrupt the sale of carnations to mark the day.

According to RetailMeNot.ca, Jarvis wasn’t wrong. What most mothers want is to spend more time with their children and families.

And while that survey only asked about their hopes for Mother’s Day itself, it is a wish that almost certainly extends to the rest of the year.

If you haven’t already rushed out and joined the throngs at the card sellers, chocolate shops or ordered flowers or a spa certificate online, it’s worth thinking about what we spend and how we spend it.

These days, young mothers (and fathers) are ping-ponged by biological, social and economic imperatives. As a society, we ought to ensure that the supports they need are there for them.

The same is true for the rapidly increasing number of great-grandmothers and even great, great-grandmothers. Many are not only lonely, they are single, poor and vulnerable.

So, by all means, spoil the ones close to you this weekend. But spare a thought for how we might make it easier for all mothers every day of the year.

Share this article in your social network

Share this Story: Daphne Bramham: Honouring mothers the best way we can

Trending

Related Stories

This Week in Flyers

Article Comments

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

Notice for the Postmedia Network

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.